The present invention relates to a structural filler filled steel tube column for use in, for example, columns and piles of building structures.
German 18-month Publication No. 2723534 teaches a typical example of the conventional structural filler filled steel tube, in which a steel tube with an inner sliding layer is filled with a structural filler. In this prior art filler filled steel tube, axial load is transmitted from end elements, which are arranged within opposite ends of the steel tube to be axially movable, to the structural filler core and hence the steel tube provides lateral confinement to the structural filler core. However, this structural filler filled tube is not practical as a column of a building structure when beams are welded to the steel tube, since the steel tube is subjected to local buckling by an excess axial load from beams, thus providing insufficient lateral confinement. For a long column for several stories, beams must be welded to the steel tube.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to reduce such drawback of the prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a structural filler filled steel tube column which efficiently enhances the filler core in compression strength to thereby enable a considerable reduction in the cross-section thereof as compared to the prior art column.